Location Sound Recording for Film and Television
- Course overview
- Recent credits and successes
- What you will study
- Fees & funding options
- Showcase
- Entry requirements
- How to apply
Location Beaconsfield
Duration 15 months
Commitment Full-time
Next intake September 2021
Application deadline 06 May 2021
Scholarships available
Overview
This 15-month Postgraduate Diploma - the only one of its kind in the UK - has been developed in response to industry demands for suitably trained production sound professionals.
Taught exclusively by practising professionals, the course aims to give students high quality training in the theory and practice of recording sound for picture both on location and in our state-of-the-art 4K multi-camera television studio, as well as Fisher Boom training and experience of in-studio music recording and post-production techniques. Students will collaborate with those in other specialisms to make several films – with all production costs met by the School.
Graduates have been employed on recent television productions including Ashes to Ashes, Midsomer Murders and Holby City, and films including Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, World War Z and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
All NFTS students can attend Masterclasses. Recent guests include David Fincher (Fight Club), Greta Gerwig (Little Women), Steve McQueen (12 Years A Slave), Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz), Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag), Ben Wheatley (Free Fire), Rapman (Blue Story), Louis Theroux, Debra Granik (Winter’s Bone), Denis Villeneuve (Bladerunner 2049), Lynne Ramsay (You Were Never Really Here), Sam Mendes (1917), Asif Kapadia (Senna), Joanna Hogg (The Souvenir), Russell T Davies (Doctor Who) and Mark Ulano (The Hateful Eight).
This course is industry recognised by ScreenSkills, the industry-led skills body for the UK's screen-based industries, and carries the ScreenSkills Select quality-mark which indicates courses best suited to prepare students for a career in the screen industries.
The NFTS wants to encourage applications from the brightest and best talent out there, whatever your background. That’s why we have made scholarship funding available for this course – find out more here.
Recent credits and successes
What you will study
The course offers an unrivalled opportunity to learn the practical skills required for a career in this field, and covers:
- location sound recording techniques for drama and documentary
- sound production for multi-camera television
- equipment maintenance and problem solving
The course starts in September with a term of intensive online workshops and exercises that prepare students to record sound on shoots with MA students in the following Spring and Summer terms. Alongside location and studio shoots for documentary, fiction films and television productions, the programme of workshops and tuition continues throughout the course. Unlike other schools, all production costs are met by the School. In addition you will be given a cash Production Budget.
Download programme specification (PDF)
Head of Department
The course leader and Head of Location Sound Recording is Simon Clark, a BAFTA-winning and RTS-nominated Sound Recordist whose impressive work in over 25 years in the field includes credits on The Crown, Mars, Wolf Hall, Mr. Selfridge, Secret State, Line of Duty, Skins, and Waking The Dead.
Showcase
Every year, our students work on a large range of short films.
Entry requirements
A proven interest in sound - particularly recorded sound - a lively interest in film, television and music and a willingness to work as part of a team are essential. We are looking for people who are practically minded and who have a good general education although there are no specific educational requirements for this course. Interpersonal skills are as important as practical ones, because sound recordists need to be able to work effectively as part of a team. You’ll also need to be fit and have plenty of energy, as sound recording can be physically demanding.
While we don’t select applicants on the basis of their ability to drive, we strongly recommend that you learn to drive, as a clean, current, driving license will be essential in your future career.
While many applicants will have a degree from a British or overseas university, we will always consider applicants who do not have a degree if they have an impressive portfolio, a creative track record or an alternative qualification.
If you are not an EEA National, you must already be in possession of a UK visa valid for the duration of this course. We are unable to accept your application if you do not.
If you have any questions, please email info@nfts.co.uk.
How to apply
Application deadline: 06 May 2021
Applicants must supply the following:
- Please tell us of an event or production that you have recorded or one that you have experienced and would like to have recorded. Include information on what preparation you did and what you would have done differently. What inspired you about the event? No more than one page (A4 paper)
- If you have any work that you would like to share with us please send us the links. However, this is not essential since you may not have had the opportunity to create something yet.
Applications open 4th January 2021.
We are happy to receive applications from 4th January until the midnight of the application deadline date.